as in oppressed
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority a war that was supposed to liberate the downtrodden citizens of that nation

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Recent Examples of downtrodden Although spring training is the time for even the most downtrodden of teams to speak optimistically, the way that the Angels talk about Fasano goes beyond the normal cliches. Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2025 Ditto a downtrodden everyman who’s left his white-collar job in Quebec to reluctantly return to Winnipeg. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025 This was a battle over who gets to claim the mantle of the Kennedys, who for so long were the first family of Democratic politics, with their talk about government service and helping the poor and downtrodden. Adam Nagourney, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025 Following a downtrodden young woman, her wicked stepmother and spoiled stepsisters, and the Prince Charming who changes her life, Cinderella has seen many cinematic adaptations over the years. EW.com, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downtrodden

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“Downtrodden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downtrodden. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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